The use of elastomeric materials to form elasticized areas in the design and construction of disposable absorbent articles is well known. Typically, such elasticized areas are formed by bonding elastomeric materials, such as natural or synthetic rubber, to the other components from which such disposable absorbent articles are formed. Generally, the elastomeric materials will be bonded to the absorbent article while the elastomeric materials are in a stretched condition. Upon relaxation, the elastomeric materials will operate to gather the components of the disposable absorbent articles to which they are attached. In this manner, elastomeric leg cuffs and waist gathers can be formed.
Attaching elastomeric materials to a disposable absorbent article while said elastomeric materials are in a stretched condition may be, from a manufacturing perspective, a difficult step to accomplish. Moreover, such elastomeric materials are typically attached to the disposable absorbent article through the use of adhesives such as hot melt adhesives. The presence of such adhesive has been found to reduce or eliminate the retractive forces exerted by such elastomeric material in the area in which the adhesives contact the elastomeric material and the disposable absorbent article to which they are attached.